All Of The Above

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Title: All Of The Above
By: J-Live
Released by: Coup D'état
Released on: 04/02/2002
Rating (out of 10): 8
Date: 07/08/2002

Could YOUR English Teacher Rhyme Like This?

“Once upon a time there was a brother named J-Live, who had a little problem with his record contract…”

It's hard to believe that this “little problem” almost sidelined the career of one of today's sharpest emcees. Having worked as a 7th and 8th grade English teacher, his lyrical dexterity and poetic attributes are just as much a result of his schooling as his love for Hip-Hop. After achieving The Source magazine's “Unsigned Hype” accolade while still a CUNY student and selling an impressive 39,000 copies of his independently released debut singles “Braggin Writes” and “Can I Get It” in 1995 and 1996, J-Live found his highly anticipated first album, The Best Part, shelved indefinitely due to major record label consolidation. Though never released officially, the massively bootlegged effort would go on to become an underground classic.

Now, thanks in part to the hype gained by the tragedy that befell The Best Part, J-Live is in the driver's seat with another highly anticipated “debut” LP, this one called All of the Above. Filled with the agile raps and quality music that fans have associated with this artist, the album, released by Coup D'état Records, will definitely strike a “blow to the state” of current mediocre Hip-Hop. So, what does it take to be a great emcee? Rhymes? Storytelling ability? Delivery? Craftsmanship? The answer is simple:

All of the above.

J-Live kicks things off with a universal greeting of peace and a short freestyle on “First Things First.” Over the smooth jazz track laced with a rumbling bass line and vibrant xylophone accompaniment, he introduces his new album and allows himself the opportunity to vent about the fiasco that keeps his true first debut album collecting dust. It's cool that he included that so people can see that even smart and talented artists like him are still vulnerable to industry politricks.

With “One for the Griot,” J pays respect to the revered African storytellers of old by weaving a story of his own, punctuating it with a tense guitar and piano driven track. The story he tells is of a man who awakens to find himself in a strange bed after a long night of partying and drinking at the club. The effects of the alcohol have all but erased his memory, so he struggles to remember details from the previous night and cope with his situation. Another inventive aspect of the song is that J-Live changes the ending of the song twice in a cool “Choose Your Own Adventure” book style, to further put additional twists on the story.

J also dips into some very substantive topics on All of the Above. J-Live raps some words for inspiration and support for women with the superb “Like This Anna,” cleverly modifying the classic emcee adlib of “like this and a, like that and a” to build the song; creativity at its finest. This track has a very smooth “electric” vibe, reminiscent of some of the classic Hip-Hop love ballads authored by A Tribe Called Quest. Then the Five Percenter leaps out of him for an inspired performance on the politically charged “Satisfied?” Using a folk harmonica to add dramatic effect to a popular drumbeat, the emcee imparts his thoughts about peoples priorities and values relating to wealth and social standing. He even questions the validity of looking at the police in a different light since September 11th. J raps,

“The same ones that traded books for guns// smuggled drugs for funds// and had fun lettin' off forty-one// but now it's all about NYPD caps, and Pentagon bumper stickers// but yo, you still a ni**a// it ain't right them cops and them firemen died, the shit is real tragic// but it damn sure ain't magic// it won't make the brutality disappear// it won't pull equality from behind your ear// it won't make a difference in a two-party country, if the President cheats to win another four years//”

But of course, aside from all the introspective and intellectual expressions, one of the chief responsibilities of an emcee is to make heads nod, and J-Live certainly satisfies this prerequisite throughout the album. After a clever poem/skit that outlines the difference between a rapper and an emcee, J declares his dedication to his vocation on “MCee.” He spits high-powered vocals over the track, just having fun showcasing his abilities. With the second and third verse he even plays with his rhymes, ingeniously alternating between words that start with the letters “M” and “C.” Definitely no “mindless crap” here. Asheru of the Unspoken Heard and El da Sensai stop by to join J-Live on the collaborative “3 out 7.” Over one of DJ Spinna's tightest beats, the three spirited emcees drop verses, each doing an admirable job of tearing down the mic. This song absolutely should have been longer.

The only real complaint fans should have with All of the Above is the fact that the slower and more serious songs are grouped together on the latter half of the album. This arrangement causes the album to feel like it's dragging slightly toward the end. Adding a few extra uptempo songs in that section, or perhaps a different track arrangement altogether would have helped inject some energy into that section.

But overall, J-Live has put together one of the most superlative “sophomore debuts” Hip-Hop fans have ever seen with this album. It's obvious that he has learned a great deal from the artists and musicians that he's toured with, and it shows on each and every track. A credit to his versatility as an artist, J produces the majority of the tracks (even handling the scratches for the most part), though he does infrequently recruit quality personnel, such as Joe Money and DJ Jazzy Jeff's A Touch of Jazz production company, to back up his work.

All of the Above allows J-Live to demonstrate what dedication and determination can accomplish when tempered with talent and ability. And the best part of it is, he's just getting started.

© Copyright CultureDose.com 07/08/2002

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